Valra'Laana a mercenary Hunter
by Devilish JoJo
Summary: These are Laana her assignment's for the Mercenary guild The Freelancers.
1. Chapter 1

Ever since the Exodar crashed upon Azeroth I have felt restless. I have a drive in myself to keep going. To show my brother and sister that I was just as amazing as they are, even if I don't know if they are still alive. I have not seen my parents not my older guardians ever since I came to Stormwind City. Ever since Uncle Branúl and Aunt Mamua died, I have been on my own. I have done small jobs for guards around town, for the shopkeepers or for Orphanage. Little Artiru stole my heart. But this logfile is not about him it is about my first assignment.

A few days back I met a tall and older Draenei. I believe his name was Lushu and he was a Mercenary for the Freelancers guild. When I was relaxing in the "Golden Keg", drinking my fruity drink, working with my leather, a large older Draenei in full armor sat down at my table. He was very polite but after awhile ignored me. But me being me, I repeatedly glanced at him, inspecting him without him noticing me. But alas it was for the worst. He did notice and we started talking. In the end he introduced me to the message board of the Freelancers and here I found my first assignment. I nodded to myself and picked up my bow and quiver from the storage and went on my way.

Since I did not know in what direction the suspect had gone, not did I know in what part of Elwynn forest I should start looking, I figured I should ask a guard. So when I was outside of Stormwind City I approached the first female guard I encountered. I gave her the description and told her she was my friend and that she had left her purse at my place and that I wanted to give it back to her. The guard nodded in agreement and told me she was headed southwest towards Mirrorlake orchard. I thanked her and continued my way down southwest. The first thing I encountered was a small house. And in front of that house I saw two small children chasing chickens. I send out Rakaash to slowly approach the house and to hide himself in the bush. Due to a small prayer I could look through of Rakaash. Inside the house I saw a mother cooking dinner and a father repairing a table.

This was not the woman nor the place to be. So I cancelled the spell and whistled to Rakaash to make him move back to me. We moved around the house in a large circle, to make sure the people in the house would not see us. When I approached a lake I could a small cottage in the distance. There was smoke coming out of the chimney and I could see a woman and two elves standing in front of the door.

Quickly me and Rakaash ran close to a large tree. Together we hid in a bush. From where we were standing I could not hear anything of the conversation that went on between the human, that fit the description, and her two elven guards. I told Rakaash to move to the tree in the orchard. When he finally came upon the frontline of the Orchard, I quickly chanted the prayer. For just a small second I could hear: " _But I have yet to hear from_ ", before the suspect entered the house and one of her guards followed her. The elf that was left, drew her sword and move away from the cottage.

I motioned to Rakaash, so he would make noises in the bushes he was standing in. So Rakaash, the silly cat that he was, jumped from one bush to the other making quite some noise. The guard elf approached the bush. While Rakaash was jumping around, I pulled an arrow from my quiver and readied my bow. As soon as the elf came close I shot an arrow straight in his neck, right between his chest armor and helm. Unfortunately it didn't kill the elf, and it fell down making a weird gurgling noise, trying to get attention from the people inside the building. Rakaash was swift and swiped his large claw along the elves throat, killing it on the spot.

The elf had no other identification on her so I left her in the Orchard and moved myself and Rakaash closer to the house. We slipped from tree to tree without getting noticed. When we closer, I spotted an open window and when we got closer, I was able to hear parts of the conversation and I could see a bald man sitting at a table, while the suspected Claire was standing in front of him.

" _Besides, It's not like he can do anything now is it? The Freelancers made sure of that not long ago. You remember."_ , the man told the suspect. " _You watch that Slithering tongue, if you wish to keep it!",_ The suspected Claire hissed back at him. " _My point still stands. You know that.",_ The man responded.

I quickly wrote everything down in a small booklet I carry with me. The most important bits of the conversation was the fact, that the suspected Claire started talking about letting the Freelancers fall straight into a trap she had set up. She also said she had influenced the information broker of the Freelancers. Apparently the last fight the Freelancers got in with the Blackdaggers were only there to be a decoy.

The bald man seemed to be horrified by the suspected Claire her comments. " _I think you know what to do next… No?"_ , she said. The man mumbled a bit and picked up a pen to sign something. I moved and reached out to get a proper look. When I could see it, it looked like a contract of some sort. After the man had signed he handed the suspected Claire the paper and she stuffed it in an envelope and closed it with some black wax.

When I heard the conversation coming to an end Rakaash and I quickly moved away from the tree and moved closer to the body in the orchard. When Claire and the last guard came out of the cottage. THe last guard was a broader looking male, completely covered in leather and was walking with a staff with a soft pulsating red gem on top. I hid slightly deeper into the orchard and strung an arrow on my bow.

The suspected Claire sighed when she saw the corpse of the fallen elf. _"Elly!",_ shouted the male elf and ran to her corpse. I moved further back as Rakaash moved to the other side. He was ready to pounce the elf and I was ready to shoot the elf in the head. " _You idiot!",_ The suspect snapped. " _Search the area!",_ she commanded before disappearing in a flash of Arcane.

At the same time Claire disappeared, Rakaash pounced on the elf. This elf was slightly stronger and he put up a better fight. While Rakaash was unable to kill him, I aimed a shot at the elves head and used some arcane power to give it an extra boost. It killed him on the spot. But once my arrow left my bow, I heard some snapping sound from behind me. I disengaged from the ares, leaped backwards and tumbled behind a tree closer to Rakaash. There I would survey the area to see if there was anything there.

Once I was sure I saw nobody, I moved closer to the male elf to inspect his body and to pillage some loot he hand. I encountered the same tattoo on this elef as I did before on the female elf. I wondered if it was the Blackdagger clan's sign. The male elf had some change, a pipe with some tobacco, an ivory dice and a bottle of water on him. I placed it all in my bag, before I cut the faintly glowing red crystal from the staff and put it in my bag too.

After a short survey of the area, encountering nothing but a small squirrel. Rakaash and I left the area to go back to Stormwind City, to write a report and to stash our loot.


	2. Chapter 2

During my last assignment I had cut a magical gem from one of the guards from the suspected Claire.

When I delivered my report to Jack Ackerman, I also gave him the crystal. When I spoke to him a few days later, I had to ask about the gem. I had to stem my curiosity . He shrugged and told me he did not know anything special yet.

But since we were in 'The Keg' he approached one of the other members of the Freelancers. Alyll Minkiwheel is a expert in foreign magic and magical accessories. Close by was also a worgen male that looked very greedy. He was spouting words like 'Shiny and sparkly', and he wanted to have the crystal. After a short inspection Alyll could not find anything special with the crystal, and the worgen male was still hopping on his seat to have it. So She showed it to him.

Suddenly the whole demeanor of the worgen male changed and he sat cross-legged on his chair. He took out a small glass device to look at the arcane gem and told us: 'that it was something he had never seen'. I wonder if this worgen is schizophrenic. It almost looked like he had two personalities. While I was wondering this, he began talking about the use of the crystal and told us: 'It is a shard used for offensive magic, holograms and communication." But straight after his demeanor changed again and he was back to wanting to have the gem because it was so shiny.

Suddenly a bunch of members from the Lancers gathered around the table where Alyll and the worgen were sitting. Alyll took the crystal back from the worgen and turned to Jack. " _I have an idea sir."_ She said and invited us to come with her. In the end the group that joined us consisted out of Falxius, Nimelien, Alyll, Jack, Isuuna and me. Alyll led us to the far back of Stormwind City, where barely anyone would go.

The first thing she did when we gathered around her was to summon a Demon. I still have shivers running over my spine, from when I saw him. It was a fat blob with tentacles, who was flying. I made a mental note to myself to look up information about these demons.

Suddenly the demon disappeared and Alyll told us he had spoken to her and that she had a idea how the crystal would work. She fiddled with the crystal before her hands turned pink purplish. I think she had pushed some arcane magic in the crystal. Probably to activate it.

After a minute or so, the crystal started pulsing and I think the communication enchantment got activated, because right after a small sphere appeared above the crystal. Just a few seconds later a confused female gnome could be seen in the sphere. _"Who are you?"_ Alyll asked whilst at the same time the female gnome asked the same thing. _"You first."_ , The female gnome then snapped. Alyll shook her head and stayed headstrong. " _I asked you first"_ , she replied in a calm voice. The worgen male was muttering several things in the background but my attention was purely focused on the female gnome.

The female gnome kept dodging the question and pointed out that we contacted her and that we should tell her who we are. I could see Alyll getting a little frustrated. _"I… contacted you first and asked for your name, it's only logical way to tell me your name first…",_ she told the gnome. Reluctantly she told us that she was Elly Spellsprocket and that she was the creator of the crystal.

When Alyll asked the other gnome about the function of the crystal, the female gnome answered rather sarcastic: _"You activated it so you already know what it does. It is an arcane core field generator with inter-perplexor connectivity with ley-line sensory."_ This went completely over my head and I did not understand a thing of what she said. I shook my head confused, but kept watching.

After this Alyll tried to shut down the communication but failed. The sphere had disappeared for a bit, before returning in full force. _"Don't be rude. I wanted to know how you came across the gem? Because it seems to be registered to one Derilion."_ The female gnome asked. Alyll did not know I got this gem from a guard that I killed so she had to make up the information. " _I found it."_ she said. _"Where?"_ inquired the female gnome. _"In a cave at the northern kingdoms. Just was there on the Floor. Maybe someone has lost it."_ Alyll told the gnome. _"Fair enough. Was there anything else?"_ the female gnome asked. _"No, not really. Thank you for your answers and have a nice day.",_ Alyll replied. _"You too!",_ replied the female gnome before killing the connection.

Alyll then turned to Jack and smiled. Nimelien questioned the reason why we had this chat with the female gnome. _"Now we still don't know more about the crystal."_ she said. " _We know where the crystal came from, we know who was the owner of the crystal and we know the gist of what it does._ " Alyll said. Jack agreed with her.

 _"Yes we do know who's crystal it was. But it won't do us any good, since I killed him",_ I told them bitterly. Jack already knew this bit. He turned to the whole group and asked them if they had ever heard of the Blackdaggers. None of them had ever heard of them and they all shook their head. Jack nodded and started explaining. " _Right … So the Black Daggers are a mercenary company, much like us. Though not long go they started giving us problems, stealing contracts and more. We went to have a friendly chat with them. Though an former recruit of us, ended up killing one of them. For a while it seemed they had learned their lesson, but of course… they wanted revenge. And they did, by continuing what they previously did, only worse… I'm talking about stealing contract etcetera. Though they also ended up hiring assassins. And a few weeks ago, I learned through my network where their hideout was. We went up there and finished them off. –but- "._

Nimelien asked him if this also was the place where they got the book from. " _Correct.",_ Jack answered. He then turned to me and asked me to tell them what happened during my mission. So I told them everything. " _So basically, I gave lana a job to follow someone I suspected was working for the Black Daggers. Though we also learned that the mercs we went to finish off in that hideout were just recruits, placed there as a decoy to make us think they were done for. When in reality… They are…well… bigger."_ Jack continued. " _So we are in for round two?",_ Alyll asked him. Jack nodded. " _Round two is already in motion"._ Falxius asked him who was infiltrating their ranks and Jack just said that it was a secret. Guess I will be soon send out for the next mission. Maybe to find out information from that fat blob of a man, who that Claire person made to sign a contract. We will see.


	3. Chapter 3

Second assignment: unnecessary murder?

A week after my last mission where I had to spy on a lady, I got a note from Jack. Jack, the overseer of all the mercenaries of The Freelancers. This note told me to be at the Keg on Sunday the eighteenth of October. I sighed to myself and packed a duffel bag with some clothes, my spare bowstring, some dried food and some bottles of water and I placed it near the door to my room.

Just one week ago Lushu introduced me to some of the members from The Freelancers. But Tillithous was the one that intrigued me the most. He was an enigma. He got up from his chair and introduced himself in a flirty way and when Lushu steered me to a chair he sat down too and straight after he got very flirty with a female mage from the company. That evening we all chatted about stuff that sounded completely silly and had nothing to do with the company at all. I did really enjoy myself, this could become like family to me. Just like Lushu promised me, but in the end I had to excuse myself from the group when Rakaash stood whining at the door.

That evening was my first encounter with the enigma of the company. He was an unknown character to me and still remains so until this very day, for he always hides his face behind a mask. But now on the eighteenth of October, I learned that I had to work together with him to retrieve information from someone. We had two weeks to complete the assignment and I just didn't know how we could do this. Tillithous was a healer with mind bending abilities Jack had told me. He told us to work together and to retrieve information from the man that got blackmailed in my last mission. We were to retrieve the signed contract and to retrieve all other important information.

Sunday the twenty-fifth of October was the day that we went out to retrieve the information. All we had to start from was that the man resided somewhere in Lakeshire. Tillithous and I agreed to meet at the border between Elwynn Forest and Redridge Mountains. From the top of my mind I had sketched a mug shot from the man and it payed off to have it with me.

When we came upon the border between these area's, we spotted a wooden barricade with several guards. I told Rakaash to stay cloaked and to pass the barricades through the woods and too search for the man. Me and Tillithous approached the barricade by foot and I went for the same set up like last time. Time to try out the waterworks this time. Tillithous was very stoic beside me and we did not really talk about how we would do this.

I pulled the sketch from my pouch and walked towards one of the guards. "Good day sir. I am looking for my friend.", I asked the guard and held up the sketch. The guard was not in a good mood to talk and greeted me before shaking his head from left to right. "I do not know this man". But we could hear from the tone of his voice he was lying. "Are you sure sir? Me and my friend really want to give him a present. Do you really not know where this man is?", I asked the guard again and used my large eyes to my advantage and smiled softly at him.

The guard blushed, but I don't know if it was due to guilt or something else. Again the guard shook his head from left to right. "No madam, I do not know where he lives.", He said with a now quivering voice. I turned myself toward Tillithous and winked at him before throwing myself into his arms and I started sobbing. "We will never find him Tilly! How can we give him our present then?" The guard coughed apologetically. While I was fake sobbing into Tillithous his robes he spoke to the guard. His tone calm and slow. "Are you sure sir. She will be inconsolable if we don't find him. As you can see she cares a lot about her friends and she really wants to see him." Again the guard coughed and told us with a strong voice that he didn't know and that we had to move towards town.

In the meantime I could hear Rakaash whining from behind the barricade. So I turned from Tillithous his arms and ran through the barricade towards my best friend. If Tillithous said something to the guards, I would not know but I rushed to Rakaash. He told me with his whines and growls that he could not smell the man close to the barricade. Together we waited for Tillithous. When he arrived, he praised me for my acting skills and together we walked towards the town. While we were walking he did scold me for running away and he claimed that this was the only mistake I made.

When we crossed the bridge, that would lead us to Lakeshire, we encountered a guard in armor carrying a gun. Since I was watching Rakaash walking across the bridge, going from left to right, I missed the man talking to us. Tillithous grabbed my arm and prevented me from walking away, when the guard spoke to us. "Good day? Can I help you? You seem to be looking for someone." Tilly turned to the man. "You could help us, yes. But we already know where our friend lives and we want to surprise him. It is Hallow's End you know.", He told the guard.

I tried to act like I normally portray myself. I think I can cover a lot of my seriousness with my act as a happy go lucky, bouncy, young draenei. So I bounced a little on my hooves and started whining. "… I want to go surprise him now…. Puhlease!" I think Tillithous would be smiling or smirking under that mask of his, because he turned and scolded me. "Just wait Lana. I am talking to this gentleman here." He then turned back to the guard. "You see her enthusiasm my friend. I need to keep her occupied with a lot of things. She is pretty new to the concept of Hallow's End and this will be the first time she would be surprising one of our friends." I would whine again, while rolling my eyes in my mind. "Can we go now?", I would whine again and tugged on Tillithous his sleeve.

Tillthous said goodbye to the guard and I rushed still acting playfully to my cloaked friend. When we entered town Rakaash told me, with his whines and growls, that the man we were after was in one of the houses in the back of the town. While we walked through town we could see several small street vendors selling their holiday themed goods, you could see people carving out pumpkins and children would be running all across the streets dressed in silly costumes. Far in the distance upon the hill we could see a medium large mansion and if Rakaash was correct our target would live there.

While me and Rakaash would walk up towards the mansion, Tillithous slipped into the inn. Most likely to drink some beer or other alcoholic drink. On the road towards the mansion I spotted a very large boulder and I stopped right behind it. It was a proper vantage point to get the first impression of the mansion. From here I could see roughly seventy percent of the building. I had just send Rakaash out to circle around the building, when Tillithous finally arrived. We had a short chat and up on his advice I followed Rakaash around the building. We were searching the lower part of the house, before we spotted a open window on the second floor.

We moved back towards Tillithous, where I think I actually frightened him a little when I appeared right next to him after I had dropped my Camouflage. After a quick conversation we agreed to the fact that I would climb through the window, Rakaash would stand guard near the entrance of the mansion and Tillithous would try to talk himself inside. When I went through the window, I entered a room filled with golden accents, richly colored pictures and many item that would have cost a fortune. I slowly shuffled my way towards the stairs, without making any noise. I could hear the man having a small conversation with a woman. Whom I presume is his wife.

After a few minutes I could hear someone knocking at the front door.– I could hear someone get up from his or her chair and I could hear the sound of footsteps. When the front door opened I could hear the woman of the house say: "Here you go deary". Right after I heard Tillithous his low accent. "Why thank you, but this is not why I am here. I was wondering have you seen my apprentice. She is a happy and bouncy Draenei, about this tall", he started rambling. I rolled my eyes and approached the top of the stair, while drawing my bow.

"Well as you can see we are quite busy, so I can't help you sir", the woman replied. A loud squeak could be heard as the door got pushed further open. "Hey aren't you… Like the richest person in the whole of Lakeshire?" I could hear Tillithous ask. So I guessed it was him that pushed the door open. "You are the one that refused my business proposals." Tillithous continued. I heard him take one more step forward, as I could hear the floorboards creak. I took a deep breath and leaned slowly over the edge of the stairs to try to spot the man and woman.

The woman let out a small hiss and I suspect the man glaring at him. "Oh no no no, this is good. I just wished to say that you were completely right not to accept it… do NEVER accept to work with orcs… it is more trouble than it's worth it." Tillithous told the man. He would let out a small cough. "Rumors say that the Black Daggers and you made a contract… right?" "OUT NOW!" screeched the woman. "It is alright Helena…", the man told the woman. "Come in please", the man asked Tillithous and right after I could hear the door close.

I sighed softly. This fool was breaking protocol. This is not what we talked about. He continued to sweet talk to the man. Suddenly something important came up. "So… you must be from the Freelancers, Yes?" the man asked Tillithous. "The Lancers? No…. I have used the services a few times yes… but that is all I have done with them… I am a collector let's say. Books and artifacts of great and minor power." I heard Tillithous replied and once again the man came back with: "You either work with them or -have- worked with them." I could hear the pouring of wine, before the bald man talked again.

"So… first you tell me I declined a business proposition. Then you say I have made a deal with some Black Daggers, and now you tell me you are a collector. What is it you wish exactly?" The man asked Tillithous. A sudden creak would flit up the stair, as someone would have opened the door again. While this door was open I could hear Rakaash his soft whine, as he told me he was following the woman of the house. I took a deep breath and aimed my arrow straight at the man. "My wish? Oh… nothing really… Just wonder what your deal would be with the Daggers… you know… to see if it would be a worthy investment.", Tillithous offered in response.

While I listened to Tillithous and his conversation with the man, I chanted a soft prayer and connected with Rakaash. I saw the woman speak with the armed man on the bridge and then I saw Rakaash rushing back. Once I hear Rakaash growl and push through the door, I cancelled the prayed and leaped down the stairs. I kept my bow aimed at the man as I landed on the table filled with expensive tableware. "Tilly close the door… Rakaash get him boy. And you my dear friend…",I said threateningly to the bald man. "What is this contract about and where did you hide it. Tell me or I will kill you and your lovely wife". I growled at him.

Tillithous sighed and closed the door before using a glamour on himself. He would look as one of the Sargerei forces, as seen in the Black Temple. "The old ones have found great interest in the Black Daggers.", He told the man. The man's arm would shoot straight up in the air when I landed on the table. "I… Don't shoot! I am just an investor! They wanted gold", The man squeaked out. Suddenly I felt a glamour slide over my body and I sighed. "Ease up Initiate… The old ones do not work with force." I sighed again but complied with his act. "Sir, there is an armed guard approaching. We have no time!" Tillithous moved up the man and placed his hands on the man's forehead. "The Daggers have a scepter of great importance to the old ones.", Tillithous hissed.

I placed my hoof upon the chubby belly of the pudgy man and growled down at him: "Where is this contract! Show us!". Just as I said this the armored guard entered the mansion and pointed his gun at us. "What is going on right here?" Tillithous raised his hand to silence the man and to try to focus on the man's mind. "Deal with him initiate.", He told me and kept staring at the man. Suddenly Rakaash disappeared from the scene and moved behind the guard to prepare himself for an attack. The pudgy man screamed: "It is upstairs in my safe!"

I approached the guard. "Sir this is non of your concern." I told the guard and tried to block his view of Tillithous. "The old ones thank thy", Tillithous smirked and mind blasted the man. I suppose he made his brain mush. But I don't know much about mind magic. The pudgy man slumped back into his chair. "You killed him!, The guard yelled and fired his gun at Tillithous. Before the deafening shot rang through the building, several other things happened. Rakaash leaped and landed upon the man, I growled and leaped to the man and Rakaash, where I landed with my two hooves beside the guards head and Tillithous disappeared in a puff of smoke.

The guard had his aim thrown off by Rakaash and shoots through the window. "Graargh!" He then fell backwards with Rakaash on his back, as he got my two hooves in his face. He quickly regained his footing and tried to throw Rakaash of his back and cleave him with the bayonet on his gun, before firing the gun towards me. Rakaash swiped at the Guard's gun arm and I let my bowstring go. One of my arcane powered arrows would fly straight at the his face. He had his gun swiped from his hands and my arrow hit him dead on. I killed him on the spot.

But at the same time I winced in pain when his bullet that was out of aim hit my shoulder. "God Damn… Why is it always my right shoulder!", I cursed before walking toward the bald guy. Because I thought that Tillithous had fried his brain, I thought to put him out of his misery and slid his throat with one of my spare daggers. I made my way up the stairs while dripping blood all over the place. "Tilly… Help me please?" I whispered leaning against the door post. I guess I passed out here, since I can't remember anything else, then waking up in the forest, with a cat resting on top of my stomach and a Tillithous staring at me.


End file.
